Palladia Supportive Housing: A Family Reunification Story

Several recent federal, state and city policy changes have added to existing challenges facing recovering substance abusers who are trying to reunify with their children. Those changes include new family reunification laws, conflicting housing and social service policies, and federal budget cuts to the Housing Choice Voucher Program, formerly known as Section 8. Palladia enlisted the help of the Capstone team to gather stories of tenants residing in its supportive housing programs. Palladia staff members wanted to understand better the experiences of parents that have reunified or are currently attempting to reunite with children that had been placed in foster care, group homes or with their family members. Through in-depth qualitative interviews with tenants in five supportive housing sites along with the construction of family genograms, the team created profiles of families that experienced reunification. The team also conducted government and nonprofit agency interviews, a housing and social service policy implication analysis, and a literature review. In the final report, the Capstone team identified common themes in family reunification of former substance abusers and made service delivery recommendations for tenants, their children, and Palladia management.

This Capstone was made possible with the support from an anonymous donor through FJC: A Donor-Advised Fund.